A Pattaya City Council committee has approved nearly 2 million baht for four new projects aimed at creating jobs for disabled residents.

At a July 16 meeting with the city’s Disabled Lifestyle-Development and Promotion committee, Deputy Mayor Wutisak Rermkitkarn said the 1.95 million baht will provide education for the physically disabled, autistic and deaf.

The Redemptorist School for People with Disabilities was allocated 1 million baht to administer a program to promote professions and careers for the disabled.

The Chonburi Independent Living Center was allocated 300,000 baht for “intense” development of a disabled lifestyle center to facilitate independent living.

Deputy Mayor Wutisak Rermkijkarn presides over a city council committee meeting, during which nearly 2 million baht was approved for four new projects aimed at creating jobs for disabled residents.

The Thai Autistic Foundation was tabbed to receive 350,000 baht to become a service agency for autistic individuals to develop their career skills.

All of the funds would come from the 2014 budget and still must be approved by the full Pattaya City Council and higher government agencies.

In related business, Wutisak said work on a planned elevator-equipped overpass over Sukhumvit Road has been delayed due to it being included in the stalled Sukhumvit Road bypass tunnel project.

However, a 3 million baht wheelchair path from Big C Extra to the end of Soi Paniadchang is proceeding, the deputy mayor said. Property is currently being acquired along the 2 kilometer route and construction will begin after a contractor is hired. Total construction time is expected to run one year.